We are in spring now, but in Morgantown it's not really warm. Temperatures dropped below freezing last night and there was a snow shower as we left temple last night after services.
Wednesday night and Thursday, March 20 and 21 was the Jewish holiday of Purim, a time to celebrate the deliverance of the Jews of Persia. It's a Mardi Gras-like holiday, with costumes and alcohol. There are plays based on the Book of Esther, the Jewish queen of Persia. Esther becomes queen after winning a beauty contest held when the former queen, Vashti, refuses to dance for the drunken king and his friends. The story has changed since I was a child. Vashti used to be considered a bad person, but she's become a feminist hero now. Rabbi Joe, my husband and the rabbi at Tree of Life Congregation here in Morgantown, writes a parody of a Broadway musical every year for Purim. This year, it was "Man of LaMancha" reimagined as "Man of LaShushan," Shushan being the city where "Esther" takes place. In Vashti's song, the king "Looks like a pig and smells of beer." Esther, who wins the beauty contest to become queen, the character all the little girls used to want to be, is reimagined in Joe's play. She sings (to the tune of "Aldonza") :
"Won't you look at me, look at me,
God, won't you look at me!
Hardly the nice Jewish girl you suppose!
Shrinking from lust
And in fear of starvation,
A child in a temptress's clothes!
If you feel that you see me not quite at my holiday best,
Read the part I don't mention, your scripture reveals all the rest!"
I'm sure this flew right past all the kids, and most of the adults. Definitely not the traditional interpretation of Esther's state of mind, but there is enough hatred and fear in the story to scare anyone. That's why it's usually read in Hebrew, so people won't understand it.
It didn't help that our Purim party at Tree of Life, the Saturday night before the actual holiday, was the day after the shootings at the two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. I didn't feel like celebrating a story where people are murdered. Or maybe it was a chance to see a modern version of the kind of hatred expressed in Esther, and to find a way to triumph over it.
I was touched by the response to the shooting in New Zealand. I saw videos of school kids performing haka, a traditional Maori dance. I've learned that it's performed at rugby games, but all the kids know it, and stood by their Muslim friends and neighbors in solidarity. The Prime Minister, Jacinda Arderen, announced an immediate ban on the types of weapons used in the shooting, with apparently little or no political opposition. I wish we could have a government like that here.
Purim is the yahrzeit, the anniversary, of my mother's death on the Jewish calendar. At Tree of Life, I say Kaddish, the memorial prayer, for her on the Friday before the holiday. I also like to go to Chabad, the Orthodox group in town, where they have a service on the holiday, and I can say the prayer. This year, however, the Muslim Students Association at West Virginia University held a vigil for Christchurch outdoors at the school on the evening of Purim, starting with a Muslim prayer service at sunset. A half dozen or so students spoke, all beautifully, as well as a couple from Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, expressing solidarity with the frightened Muslim students, and Imam Kip and Rabbi Joe. Two of us City Councilors and two State Delegates spoke briefly. The point that I tried to make when I spoke is that everyone in Morgantown is part of the city, whether one is from here or not, planning to stay, or leaving after graduation. We are one city. My inspiration was from the students in New Zealand.
Joe and I have talked about leaving here. His contract is up July 1, as is my City Council term. I wanted to run again. Our Council has done good work this last two years, and we finally have an all-progressive group of Delegates to the State Legislature. Many bad things happened in the Legislature this year, so much hatred expressed. Everyone says "This isn't who we are", but hateful people keep getting reelected, only, thankfully, not in Morgantown. Maybe that hatred is exactly representative of people in other parts of our state.
At the synagogue, many of the people who did the work of keeping things going have moved away for careers or just to a bigger city. The older people, not much older than I am, don't always have the energy to get things done. Many of them travel frequently or leave town for the winter months. I don't know how long this congregation can keep going, but they have supported Joe and me the last seven years. It's Joe they want to see from their hospital bed, Joe they want to do a funeral or a wedding for a family member.
Ryan Wallace, one of the Councilors I am closest to, announced last night that he and his wife Christine are moving to her hometown of Toronto this summer. This is a blow to me personally, because I have been close to them, but also to Morgantown generally. They are fitness buffs, and are responsible for our Health and Wellness Commission, started late last year.
It's common for West Virginia people to say "Should I stay or should I go?" I don't blame Ryan and Christine for leaving. They are young and have children, and Christine has parents in Toronto.We have made our community here, and I hope we will be able to stay.
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| At The vigil at WVU 3/20/19 |
